HEART AND HOPE 4
by deetatarant
Summary: Owen has a few choice words for a colleague in crisis.


Owen heard rather than felt the bone in his lower leg snap. The sound resonated sickeningly through his body followed by an over whelming wash of intense pain and nausea. He failed to bite back a yelp of surprise and distress as he squeezed his eyes shut against the onslaught. Tears pricked at his eyes and all he could think was how girly was that! Trying to regain his composure he hitched in a few rapid breaths and then opened his eyes again. His vision swam nauseatingly so and again he sucked in steadying breaths, slower and deeper this time and eventually his confused world came into focus. Dust was still settling amid broken timbers from the stoneage and dodgy Victorian plaster work. Owen squirmed and discovered that was about all he could do because he was trapped from the waist down he realised somewhat disappointed. He gazed at the pile of derelict rubble encasing his lower body vaguely aware that he should be trying to do something about it. He drifted for a moment, then a twinge of pain brought him back to his senses and suddenly he could hear the creaking of timbers and the settling of the smaller pieces of debris.

"Shit." And then he remembered. "Ianto?"

Owen swung his head trying to search through the swirling dust.

"Ianto!"

He was greeted with silence. Owen's grazed hand went straight to his earpiece only to discover it was absent.

"Shit." Definitely his favourite word for the day, he continued to scan the skeletal shell of the building. Of Ianto there was no sign. Owen's heart sank.

The young man had been a mere two paces in front of him, Owen recalled. There had been an ear wrenching screech as a roof timber had been dislodged by the weevil that they were chasing. Owen remembered the massive lump of wood swinging at him then Ianto's hand wrenching at his shirt to drag him clear.... the rest? Owen wasn't sure; he had a recollection of Ianto yelling at him to get out of the way then the floor disappearing from beneath them.

Owen sighed, why was it always warehouses and derelict buildings? He tried to sit himself up and found he could only get so far, so leaning on one elbow he began to assess the damage. Breathing was fine, not painful and his head by a small miracle was undamaged. He probed his scalp, checking for blood. His back seemed ok and he could most definitely feel his legs even if he couldn't see them. His hand strayed down to his abdomen, nothing obviously wrong there either though he couldn't rule out some bruising or internal bleeding. So with a bit of luck it was just his legs. All things considered it could have been worse. Well for him at least. Once again his mind wondered back to his young colleague. Much of the dust was settled now and Owen could clearly see through the slants of light that pierced the gaps in the masonry and boarded up windows. Cautiously he levered his fingers around some of the rubble covering him and shoved bits and pieces of it aside. He really needed to see the damage to his legs. He froze at the sound of his mobile ringing in his jacket pocket. He yanked it out and took the call from Jack.

"_Owen? We lost your signals what's go....."_

"Just get here now Jack. Ianto and I are in trouble."

"_We're almost there."_

Owen hung up and sure enough he heard the welcome sound of the screeching of SUV brakes. Moments after that and Gwen was at his side petting his hair and whispering assurances, as Jack began clearing the crap from his legs.

"You need to find Ianto."

Jack didn't stop his task. "He's in here?"

Owen nodded hissing at the pain. "Yep."

As soon as Owen was clear Jack began searching rather frantically and Owen was vaguely aware of two green suited NHS paramedics getting him prepped for hospital. Owen was rather grateful for the unconsciousness that enveloped him.

He awoke the following day with a fresh set of pins poking out through the stitches in his shin and Gwen at his bed side. He smiled through the haze of the morphine and was greeted in turn by a relieved toothy grin.

"Owen, thank God. How are you feeling?" She asked in gentle tones. Owen tried to think about what she asked and wondering why she had asked it and it took him a moment to put the pieces together.

"Mmm ok. Ianto? Is Ianto alright?"

Gwen's face fell at that. "He's in HDU. Jack's with him."

Owen frowned and tried to move which was not a wise thing to attempt and he hissed angrily.

"Shit. My leg."

Gwen's hands were gently rested on his shoulders. "You broke the Tib, it went through the skin so they pinned it back together, otherwise you're pretty much OK."

Owen sagged, thinking.

"He saved my life. I mean I've always treated him like shit and he saved my life." He blurted out.

Gwen arched her eyebrows and resumed her seat at his side. "It's your way of showing you care. You are rude to all of us in different ways. The way I see it the meaner you are the more you like them, so Ianto must be your favourite person."

Owen scowled at her.

"Maybe I should tell Jack he's got competition." Gwen added smiling.

Owen tried to get more comfortable and Gwen was instantly up on her feet again adjusting the pillows which enabled him to get a little more upright. He still felt terribly groggy.

"Seriously Gwen, how is he?"

She visibly deflated. "He's in a bad way. The doctors were talking brain damage because of the skull fractures. One of beams landed straight on his head, he hasn't regained consciousness yet." She replied, deciding that Owen would want nothing less than the truth.

"Shit. He pushed me out of the way when half the ceiling came down. Is Jack....?"

"Jack's upset. I'll be honest I didn't think that they were THAT close." She hesitated for a moment. "You remember that Carys girl last year, with the sex gas?"

Owen nodded.

"Well Jack kissed Ianto, like he did with her, made him.... well, you saw with the light, but Ianto didn't wake up and Jack started yelling at him and crying.... I didn't realise." Gwen couldn't decide how that made her feel.

"Jack's always been... fond of him. I think since he got back from his travels it's been much more than that. They are both just incredibly discreet about it." Owen watched Gwen's face for a moment recognising the conflict of emotions there.

"You're jealous aren't you?"

Gwen eyes bored into his and finally she nodded. "I'm marrying Rhys in two months and yes I am jealous, what kind of a person does that make me?"

Owen smiled. "A very human one. Jack has a habit of making everyone feel special. He loves all of us. I think when he first met you he was a bit dazzled by your freshness that the rest of us cynics dismissed as domestic bliss. He recognised in you the one thing the rest of us didn't have."

"So why is he with Ianto, he's not exactly anything special?"

"Because Ianto grounds him, holds him in check, makes him think, doesn't challenge him in public...."

"So he's subservient?"

Owen shook his head, God he was too tired for this. "Far from it. Trust me, I've seen those two argue and quite frankly Ianto hasn't been wrong yet. Jack needs him and I think he recognised that fact whilst he was away. You're the ideal that Jack fights to protect. Ianto acts as his conscience trust me Gwen you really don't know how deeply those two feel for each other what we see barely scratches the surface."

Gwen sighed and chewed at her lip. "I do love Rhys, but I ...."

"Let it go Gwen, Jack will never be yours not in the way that you want and you'd never be able to live with him the way he is."

"And Ianto will?"

"Ianto does and it is not easy for him." Owen settled his head back and closed his eyes. "If he dies Gwen, Jack is going to be devastated."

Gwen swallowed somewhat guiltily. "I can't believe myself really. You must think I am awful."

Owen chuckled. "You have your moments. Now for fear of being rude, I need to sleep. Go find some coffee for Jack and leave me to sleep."

Gwen rose from the chair and smiled. "Thanks Owen, for listening. I know I can be selfish... I just.... Thanks."

"No problem PC Cooper. Go on, sod off."

Gwen cautiously tapped Jack's shoulder and proffered the plastic cup of coffee with a faint smile. Jack turned to look at her, his eyes red from lack of sleep. He took the cup.

"Thanks." He returned his focus to the young man in front of him swamped by leads and electronics and the soft whirrings of the ventilator keeping him alive. Gwen gently rested a hand on his shoulder and Jack automatically covered it with one of his own.

"How's Owen?"

"He's fine, gone back to sleep now. Any change with Ianto?"

Jack shook his head. "I wonder if he wants to come back to us."

Gwen gently squeezed at his shoulder. "I know he wants to come back to you. Don't give up on him Jack."

Jack released her hand and went back to holding Ianto's. "I never will."

It was time for her to leave.

"Jack I'm going back to the Hub. You stay here; if Tosh and I need help we'll call UNIT. That nice Captain Henderson is very handy to have on standby."

Jack nodded, grateful for her understanding. "Thank you Gwen."

The following morning Owen hobbled into HDU with his crutches. Jack was still hunched over Ianto's bedside and the young Welshman was still.... well from where Owen was standing it didn't look so good. He made his way over to the bedside and Jack looked up at him in bleary eyed surprise.

"Owen, how are you?" He got up and offered up his chair to his medic. Owen took it careful to position his leg under Ianto's cot.

"I'm ok Jack. How's Tea Boy doing?"

Jack gestured. "Well, see for yourself. Stay with him I'm just going to get coffee, want one?"

Owen nodded. "There's a Costa on the ground floor."

Jack left the room obviously in need of some air and Owen turned his attention to his comatose colleague. He leant forward and began to speak.

"Right you little toe rag, you still owe me 20 quid from last week's wager and no way in hell am I putting up with any more of Gwen's bloody coffee, so you fucking well wake up. Jack's already done the electric light show snogging routine on you. What more do you want? A serenade? A fucking long weekend in Paris? You've got Weevil shit to clean up and a cranky dinosaur to feed, because no way am I going anywhere near that beast. Fucking leatherbird, Tosh told she'd already eaten another lab coat this morning complete with penlight and badges. Do you know how long it takes me to get a decent badge collection together?" Absently he grasped Ianto's limp hand.

"You're a pain in the arse, you're snooty, far too neat for yours or anyone else's own good, and do you know how much Harkness is going to complain about not getting his pre breakfast shag every morning?... Come on Ianto, you twat. I've just insulted you for fuck's sake, what will it take, me stealing all of your suits and swapping them out for striped polyester tracksuits? Now bloody well wake up you tosser!"

He watched the young man's completely unresponsive face and huffed out a sigh.

"I do not like being ignored you Welsh git." He was aware of the staff nurse watching him from over the top of her work station and Owen offered up a lopsided grin, she looked like she wanted to throw him out. "See, now look what you've done. I've got the draconian sister from hell trying to stare me off." He changed tack. "You saved my life Ianto, now you have to wake up so that I can return the favour.... at the very least it'll stop me holding a memorial service for the coffee. I hereby commit these Arabica Beans to the Earth....god do you know how creepy that sounds? And quite frankly it's mildly embarrassing sitting here talking to myself.........."

The first thing he saw in his hazy gaze was the shadowed face of Owen Harper looking down at him, an enormous relieved smile plastered across his cheeky face. Ianto blinked at him unable to do anything else but weakly return the pressure against Owen's hand, which enveloped his. He knew instinctively that everything would be ok, that once again the snarky medic had saved him. He held his gaze through watery eyes hanging on to every word pouring from Owen's mouth.......

"About bloody time! And look Harkness is back with the coffee!"

**AN: FOR DRU AND SOLSBURY GIRL.......**


End file.
